Cytogen issued new patent covering oral drug delivery agents

Cytogen Corporation has announced that it has been issued United States patent number 7,135,457 covering its oral drug delivery agents - random peptide compositions that bind to gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) transport receptors.

The patent specifically covers compositions of Cytogen's oral delivery agents that are capable of facilitating transport of an active agent through a human or animal gastro-intestinal tract (GIT), and derivatives and analogs thereof, and nucleotide sequences coding for said proteins and derivatives. The oral delivery agents have use in facilitating transport of active agents from the lumenal side of the GIT into the systemic blood system, and/or in targeting active agents to the GIT.

By binding (covalently or noncovalently) one of Cytogen's delivery agents to an orally administered drug or by coating the surface of nanoparticles or liposomes with the delivery agent, the drug can be targeted to specific receptor sites or transport pathways which are known to operate in the human gastrointestinal tract, thus facilitating its systemic absorption into the bloodstream.

The binding of Cytogen's delivery agents to these receptors has been confirmed in preclinical models, and successful in vivo delivery of both insulin and leuprolide in animal models have been demonstrated. Based on these results, the Company is seeking partnerships for oral drug delivery.

"Cytogen's proprietary technology may represent an important advancement for patients with a variety of disorders who can greatly benefit from the availability of an oral dosing option," said Vernon Alvarez, Ph.D., listed inventor on the patent and currently a consultant to Cytogen. "Through future collaborations, we look forward to the development of products for oral administration that, until now, could only be administered by injection."

Dr. Alvarez is responsible for advancing Cytogen's oral delivery technology and other technology resulting from the Company's proprietary phase display platform. Dr. Alvarez has over 18 years of biotechnology and R&D experience in antibodies, peptides, immunotherapeutics, radiopharmaceuticals, and novel drug delivery technologies. He was formerly employed by Cytogen where he held various positions, including vice president of discovery research and vice president of drug discovery. He was a primary contributor to the successful development of several of Cytogen's commercialized products.

For more information, a white paper titled "Active-transport peptides induce GIT transport of nanoparticles containing leuprolide and insulin in an in vivo rat model" is available under the Licensing Opportunities section of Cytogen's website.